Allahabad High Court orders police in Uttar Pradesh to act against false complaints, marking a key moment amid rising conversion case allegations.
Newsroom (20/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Allahabad High Court in India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state has directed a sweeping move to curb the practice of filing false criminal cases, a step that observers say could reshape the landscape of religious freedom disputes in the region.
On January 14, a single-judge bench led by Justice Praveen Kumar Giri ordered the state’s police chief to ensure that officers initiate legal proceedings against individuals who lodge false complaints, as well as against any complicit witnesses. The directive, which must be implemented within 60 days, warns that failure to comply could result in contempt of court charges against both police and judicial authorities.
The order emerged from a petition filed by Umme Farva, a Muslim woman wrongly accused by her former husband in 2023 of making online threats. Police investigations concluded the allegations were baseless and sought to close the case, prompting Farva to petition the court for action against the complainant. Justice Giri’s ruling, while case-specific, has generated wide attention for its broader implications.
Rising Tide of False Conversion Allegations
Christian leaders say the decision could mark a decisive moment in addressing a growing pattern of false accusations under Uttar Pradesh’s anti-conversion law. Pastor Joy Mathew, who provides legal aid to Christians, called the judgment “a landmark step toward ending fabricated cases,” emphasizing that, since 2021, more than 500 Christians — including clergy — have been arrested on unproven charges of forced religious conversion.
“Until now, there has been no accountability for those who fabricated such claims,” Mathew said. “Not one of these cases has produced evidence of illegal conversion.”
The state’s anti-conversion law, introduced in 2021, prohibits conversion through force, fraud, or inducement but has been widely criticized for enabling harassment of minority communities. Rights groups argue the law has been used as a tool to intimidate Christians and Muslims in the state governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Questions of Implementation
While the court’s directive promises firmer legal accountability, questions remain over its enforcement. Mohammed Arif Khan, Uttar Pradesh coordinator of the All India Secular Forum, welcomed the judgment but voiced doubts about its execution, noting persistent allegations that authorities turn a blind eye when minorities are targeted.
“The order is commendable, but its success depends on whether the state government has the political will to follow through,” Khan said.
Legal Reform in a Charged Political Climate
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state with over 200 million residents, is among at least a dozen — mostly BJP-ruled — states with anti-conversion laws. The state’s population is overwhelmingly Hindu (around 80%), with Muslims making up nearly 20% and Christians less than 1%.
With the High Court’s direction now compelling police and judicial officers to act against false complainants, advocates hope for a shift toward accountability and protection for innocent individuals accused under politically or communally charged cases. Whether this ruling will translate into systemic change, however, remains uncertain in a state where faith and politics remain deeply entwined.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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